Democrats file FEC complaint against Linda McMahon

Asserting that World Wrestling Entertainment has made illegal in-kind campaign contributions to the U.S. Senate campaign of its former CEO Linda McMahon, state Democratic party Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission.

DiNardo says WWE staffers ordered YouTube to remove sexually-provocative WWE videos from its website after those videos became campaign fodder.

"A search of YouTube using the phrase 'WWE' continues to produce almost 500,000 results,'' the complaint states. "Thus, it appears that WWE only ordered YouTube to remove the videos that may be damaging to Ms. McMahon's campaign, and neglected to protect WWE's other copyrighted material and intellectual property. "

UPDATE -- Ed Patru, spokesman for the McMahon campaign, had this to say in response:

"It's a baseless accusation and the campaign has complied with all FEC rules and regulations. This latest attack from Chris Dodd speaks volumes about just how worried he is about Linda's campaign. Chris Dodd has an enormous credibility problem, and one of the reasons people don't trust him is because of his apparent coordination with AIG executives in which he gave carte blanche to his political supporters instead of regulating them, and then arranged behind closed doors to have them receive millions in taxpayer-funded bonuses. It's troubling that Chris Dodd's political apparatus seems more concerned with watching wrestling videos on the Internet than restoring trust in government."

WWE vice president of public relations Robert Zimmerman told me he hasn't been notified of the complaint by the FEC, nor has he received any legal notice, he said.

He did send along the following statement, issued by the WWE:

"For more than 5 years, the WWE has engaged in a comprehensive enforcement program to protect its intellectual property in the digital space, including routinely taking down unauthorized postings of WWE footage on various websites. Piracy is a problem that threatens all entertainment companies. WWE has been and will continue to be vigilant in its efforts to protect its intellectual property. On average, WWE removes a minimum of 5,000 unauthorized videos per month on YouTube alone. This does not include thousands of other videos that are removed from websites beyond YouTube."

The videos, which depict simulated rape and necrophilia, were the subject of an Oct. 16 press release from state Democrats. Almost immediately after the political news website Talking Points Memo and other blogs published items about the videos, they were removed from YouTube.

"In sum, WWE has selectively enforced its rights only insofar as they benefit Ms. McMahon's candidacy,'' DiNardo's complaint states. "The facts demonstrate that WWE made expenditures in connection with an election, in clear violation of FECA. WWE expended its corporate resources - including the time of Zimmerman and other corporate personnel, and its attorneys - all used in the service of Ms. McMahon's campaign to force YouTube to remove only the videos that reflected poorly on Ms. McMahon, while ignoring the multitude of other WWE-owned material still hosted on YouTube."

McMahon is "sorely mistaken if she thinks the WWE can do her dirty work for her as she stays above the fray,'' Colleen Flanagan, spokeswoman for state Democrats, said in a statement.

McMahon "might claim to be a different kind of Senator, but Linda McMahon's illegal coordination with the WWE doesn't do anything to bolster that image. If anything, it looks like McMahon has chosen to call in a corporation run by her family to fight her battles for her," Flanagan said.

Flanagan also took issue with Patru's allegation that Dodd "coordinated" with AIG. It is an indication that McMahon is taking her campaign "further into the gutter by telling flat-out lies in an attempt to distract from her own legal problems,'' Flanagan said in an email.

"Chris Dodd didn't coordinate anything with AIG, and McMahon's assertion to the contrary is demeaning to the people she seeks to represent," she added.

UPDATE #2: Late Monday, Patru responded the Flanagan's response. He gets the last word.

"It's absolutely stunning to witness the faux indignation of Chris Dodd's campaign machinery. These are the same people who, in March, sat by quietly as the Senator knowingly and deliberately misled the country when he vehemently insisted several times over to a CNN producer that he had absolutely nothing to do with sneaking in a bonus exemption for his contributor friends at AIG. We all know what happened with that."

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13 Comments

Really! This is all they have to do? No wonder the Democratic Party is falling flat on its face. Dodd is a boob and no matter what name Lieberman runs under, he is still a democrat. They need to worry about their tarnished image that about the BS they are now!

It will take more than whining by Connecticut's Democrats to derail her - I am sure she has faced down more than these whiners can dish our more than once over the years.

Standby to see what they try with Foley - they can't win on issues so a smear campaign is all they have to rely on. Dump them all - they are rotten to the core and thing the voters are too stupid to realize it.

Although I take issue with the content of the video put out by a company she is employed by/owner of, etc., what I really take issue with is the fact that the has confessed to having missed elections. I don't care what "level" of election - be it for local issues or national. If you can't take the time to do your civic duty and vote, why the hell should I vote for you?

And no, I haven't missed a single opportunity to vote in the 31 years that I've been a registered voter.

I do not vote. I do, however, agree with the Democrats on most things -- except this. Also, I do not live in Connecticut. I am a member of YouTube, and a fan of WWE.

If the videos that were used in this blatant smear campaign were on the official WWE YouTube account, they can take the videos down. People would question the timing if they were taken down after they were used against Mrs. McMahon.

However, if the videos were on other members accounts, then WWE has the absolute right to request the videos to be removed. YouTube has a rule which states that no copyrighted material may be uploaded unless the user has permission to use the footage or audio. This rule is FREQUENTLY ignored by members of the site.

If the videos that were used were not on official WWE accounts, all it did was direct WWE to them. Again, WWE had every right to have their copyrighted material taken down since it was illegally uploaded to the site without their consent.

seriously now.. a politican party official from this over-taxed state of CT with nothing to do but start crying over videos someone posted on youtube, then cry foul that they were taken down? Nancy Dinardo hasnt complained about any other politician who has any involvement with entertainment that may be offensive to " Her " and not those who watch WWE. We have politicians who are actors as well who made violent, sexual films. If she doesnt like it, turn the channel, and let us enjoy WWE Sports Entertainment. We have free will and can watch what we want. What we are sick of seeing going on around us are career politicians who have over stayed their usefullness and spend most of their time in Washington while getting more campaign donations from out of this state. We can think for ourselves without watching a mud slinging contest, thats what turns voters away.I'll vote for McMhaon for standing up for what she believes can happen, not for someone who has held office over 25 years and has questionable dealings as of late.

It was great to see Linda McMahon in New Britain tonight supporting Mayor Tim Stewart's multi-party team!! Hopefully the voters of New Britain will give Stewart's team a better chance of capturing council seats than in the past - the Dems have no issues except smaear tactics and outright lies. We need leadership - not pure partisan politics!

"McMahon and husband Vince McMahon, who is the chairman of the WWE, have contributed nearly $90,000 to federal candidates and committees since 1989, the Center for Responsive Politics has found. And of this sum, 54 percent has gone to Republicans and 44 percent has gone to Democrats.

The recipients include many high-profile Democrats, as well as a mix of both moderate and conservative Republicans. Many are directly associated with Connecticut politics.

The power couple's top recipient? The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, to which Linda donated $15,000 between 2006 and 2007."